4 August 2007

The Grocer

Trading Standards officers have criticised an FSA proposal to set a 1% threshold below which meat processors wouldn't have to tell consumers about starch and protein added to a product. They are concerned consumers will be misled if the information...

Foodservice giant 3663 First For Foodservice has won a multi-million pound contract to supply Pizza Express restaurants from struggling wholesaler Woodward Foodservice. The contract to supply the chain's 334 restaurants with frozen and ambient...

The most significant change in retail planning guidance for more than a decade is about to take place. In less than eight weeks the government will unveil details of its draft revision of 2005's Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6). A key plank of the...

Expert's verdict: 6/10 ?The only thing that lets this down is the packaging, which looks second-rate and is unlikely to have much appeal for women. There are too many colours going on and the name makes it sound Oriental. The taste, however, is...

Many small organic and artisan suppliers have been devastated by last week's floods in the south of England with a likely impact on quality, price and quantity for months and years to come. Tamara Schipu, who represents regional suppliers...

Private equity-backed fmcg companies are struggling to attract and retain good quality people because of fears for long-term development prospects and job security, says a leading recruitment consultancy. Filling job vacancies within the £40k to...

Consumer spending on dairy could rise £2.4bn to £10bn per year by 2012 if the industry focused more on what shoppers really wanted, according to new research from Dairy Crest. Its report, Dairy for Life, seen exclusively by The Grocer, says...

Birds Eye is offering consumers the chance to have their mortgage paid in an on-pack promotion next month. The promotion will appear on Birds Eye's most popular products from September through to November. Participants can also enter a daily draw to...

British asparagus growers have overcome difficult weather to post a 24% increase in volume sales. The Asparagus Growers Association praised the multiples for their support during the short April to May growing season. Speaking at the AGA's annual...

Zagorka, Bulgaria's biggest-selling beer, is the latest premium Eastern European import to hit UK shelves. The beer, which hits shelves next week, has more than 30% of the Bulgarian market and is a multiple Gold Monde Selection winner. It will join...

Toiletries supplier Bulldog has launched a male grooming range in a bid to challenge what it calls the "chemical conventions" of the growing sector. It has replaced all artificial colours, synthetic fragrances and other chemicals with essential oils...

Food and drink companies that target children through advertising on the internet have been warned that they must self-regulate their marketing practices, or risk having regulation imposed on them. Since Ofcom's restrictions on advertising foods...

British shoppers are beginning to steer clear of produce with high food miles, according to research from Mintel. One in five now check the source of a product before buying it. And 41% said suppliers and supermarkets did not provide enough...

Cafédirect has urged the Fairtrade Foundation to introduce a minimum payment scheme for tea farmers to protect them from "damaging low market prices". Fairtrade tea growers should get the same treatment as their coffee-growing counterparts who...

Midcounties Co-operative Society is back in full operation following last week's devastating floods, thanks to some help from the Co-operative Group. The society was forced to close its chilled distribution centre in Osney Mead, Oxford, for eight...

Stars of food and drink export are once again being given the chance to shine in the Food from Britain Export Awards 2007, in association with The Grocer. Suppliers from across the UK are invited to enter the awards, which celebrate companies that...

Grocery industry charity Caravan has set up an emergency hardship fund for the hundreds of former Kwik Save staff who lost their jobs when the chain went into administration on 6 July. Although some stores and staff were transferred to the new...

Anuj Lal Business director Ice cream, Unilever UK Sir; Flooding to the Gloucester area has indeed forced Unilever to temporarily suspend production at our factory, but it has not caused any serious supply shortages, and is not forecast to ('Flooding...

Rising interest rates and escalating commodity prices are expected to prompt major changes in supermarket ranges, according to grocery buyers, but in most cases, not just yet. This summer's deluge, which has devastated pea, broccoli, cabbage and...

First Milk has become the first major milk supplier to break a contract because of the growing milk shortage. The Paisley-based co-op announced it would not be able to supply all its customers with every litre of milk they wanted, and invoked the...

Redundant colanders are the focus of a light-hearted London-based print advertising campaign for Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice. Running until the end of this month, the executions are aimed at persuading the capital's consumers to switch from...

A teacher of authentic Indian cookery has launched a spice mix range aimed at the retail and delicatessen markets. West Yorkshire-based Prett Tejura created her Curry Cuisine company less than a year ago. She organises cookery courses, tasting...

Wyke Farms is bringing its brand to the small screen to tell the story of its 100-year-old family farming heritage. Running for a week in October, the advert tells the tale of Ivy Clothier, the founder of the company, who developed the company's...

Metrosexuals are out and butch men are back in, according to a new TV campaign from Dutch beer Bavaria. The adverts show men demonstrating strength and perseverance as they battle it out to reach a glass of Bavaria beer. As part of the campaign the...

Aspall is targeting new customers at a clutch of music festivals and events this summer. It will be showcasing its Draught Suffolk Cyder in keg format, and Perronelle's Blush, a pink cider made with blackcurrant liqueur, at Reading's Glade Festival,...

Ehrmanns plans to bring Fairtrade wines to more discerning drinkers with the launch of two premium wines from Argentina in September. The Soluna range will consist of a 2005 Malbec, rsp £8.99, and a 2005 organic Malbec, rsp £9.99. The brand will be...

Rising interest rates and escalating commodity prices are expected to prompt major changes in supermarket ranges, according to grocery buyers, but in most cases, not just yet.This summer's deluge, which has devastated pea, broccoli, cabbage...

Buying practices must be rethought Claire Melamed Head of trade and corporates, Action Aid UK Sir; In criticising groups such as ­Action Aid for not disclosing the names of factories where we have uncovered poor working conditions,...

The grocery industry was holding its breath following last week's outbreak of foot and mouth disease at a farm in Surrey, which could cost up to £180m in lost exports.The outbreak, in Pirbright near Guildford, brought with it the spectre of...

Camelot has won the licence to operate the National Lottery from 2009 to 2019.The company, which has run the lottery since it was launched in 1994, fought off competition from Indian lottery operator Sugal & Damani.“Following a...

Camelot has won the licence to operate the National Lottery from 2009 to 2019.The company, which has run the lottery since it was launched in 1994, fought off competition from Indian lottery operator Sugal & Damani.It has already...

The government has relaxed restrictions on moving animals to slaughter as a third possible case of foot and mouth disease is investigated.Defra eased restrictions on moving animals to slaughter outside the protection and surveillance zone...

Dobbies Garden Centre has urged shareholders to back Tesco's 1,500p a share offer for the garden centre chain after Sir Tom Hunter, the owner of Wyevale Garden Centres, said he would not be making a counter bid.The chain has sent out a...

EU regulations introduced nearly 10 years ago about the use of 1% milk is still causing confusion, according to the Food Standards Agency. The Drinking Milk Regulations (1998) state that milk must fall within fat-content bands for whole (above 2%),...

New health and safety guidance for c-stores and newsagents will make it easier for independent retailers to check they are operating within the law, according to the British Retail Consortium. The guidance, unveiled by the government last week, is...

Healthy snack move
Sean Summers has become marketing director at Walkers Snacks, a new position created to develop a healthier snacking portfolio. Summer previously worked for PepsiCo in Argentina and Mexico.
Trussler for Sabato
Richard Trussler,...

Young's acquisition
Young's has increased its shellfish capacity by acquiring The Seafood Company from Fishery Products International. The £70m turnover business comprises Anchor Seafood and The Cromer Crab Company.
New Glen's debut

Organic Freedom
Morrisons claims it is the first UK retailer to launch organic farmed salmon certified to the RSPCA's welfare-friendly Freedom Food standard. It is available at 164 stores.
NBA hits out again
For the second week in a row, the...

New Brazilian apple
Capespan has started supplying a new Fuji-Gala cross to UK retailers and processors called the Snow Apple. The highly coloured fruit is grown for export at high altitude in Brazil by Agrícola Fraiburgo.
Prepared arm sold

Easy access to dairy
The Dairy Council has relaunched its www.milk.co.uk website with a new look so consumers, health professionals and the media have better access to nutrition and health information.
Milk moustache duo
Boxer Amir Khan and model...

Northern Foods is transferring its expertise in frozen pizza to the chiller with the launch of a premium range under the Goodfella's brand. Goodfella's Signatore, the brand's first foray into the chilled cabinet, will fill "a gap in the market for...

Galaxy is going dark as brand owner Mars uses its signature milk chocolate brand to grab a share of the booming dark chocolate market. The new arrival, called Galaxy Smooth Dark, is part of a range relaunch, which also includes a modified shape,...

Heinz is about to stir up the soup category by introducing three new ranges, one of which will mark the brand's first major push into the chilled soup arena. Twenty seven new soups arrive in stores this month under the Farmers' Market, Taste of Home...

Vodka makes waves
Diageo has launched a £5m campaign for Smirnoff. The campaign, called Sea, aims to increase awareness of the vodka's quality and purity.
Chilean reserve
Wine importer Vinoceros has added a reserve tier to its Chilean Poco Mas...

Wines from Chile, Spain, New Zealand and Argentina have been chosen for Harvey-Miller Wine & Spirit Agencies' continued expansion into wine. The company wanted to increase its offer from growing wine markets with its latest batch of releases,...

Leblon image shift
Leblon is looking to shake off the low-cost reputation of cachaça by launching a super-premium version of the spirit.
Foster's beachside
Foster's will be hosting beach barbecues as part of its sponsorship of surfing competition,...

The foot and mouth disease outbreak in Surrey could have been caused by 'human movement', and sabotage can not be ruled out, a government report has found.As a second case of the disease was yesterday confirmed within the 3km protection zone...